I have stitched my first stitches on my Blackwork Thread Sampler! Feels good! Of course, I’ve already had my first snag.

I was going to use the Trebizond for the cover because it’s so shiny and pretty. But I didn’t like working with the silk. Let me be more specific. I did not like working with stranded Trebizond. I will do some more research to find out if there is a way to handle stranding the twisted silk so it will handle more neatly in the stitching.

Instead I decided to use an old faithful—Mori stranded silk from Kreinik. I have used this before and enjoyed it. It is soft, but strong. It does not fuzz up while you’re stitching, nor does it break as some threads do. It is a matte finish, but I can live with that.

So, what exactly am I stitching? Let me back up a step or two.

I mentioned before there are some factors to consider before laying thread to fabric. And these are the factors:

The threads should be identified clearly in the sample or there should be a legend that will never be separated from the sampler.

The threads should be used as fully as they would in any worked piece. In other words, if the thread is a stranded one, then strand usage should be incorporated to the piece.

The sampler should answer any question a person might have about the thread as used in any type of work.

The threads sampler should show very clearly the differences between the various thread samples.

I also said that I wanted this work to be like the Encyclopedia Britannica of blackwork thread usage. For those who don’t know what the Britannica was, it was a reference book, the oldest English language encyclopedia in fact.

So, I’m making a book! A fabric book!

It took me a while to find information about how to construct a fabric book. I had a basic Idea, but I really am not interested in trial and error when it comes to finishing. I want a fail-safe method that will make me proud to show my work to others. I found a very nice answer at Shade Tree Art. My model will be my take on Shade Tree’s model.

My cover will be the title stitched in black silk on linen. This piece will be bordered with the “cover fabric.”

Each page of the book will be devoted to one thread.

There will be a Table of Contents identifying the order of the threads sampled.

I will leave several end pages to accommodate threads that will come to market in the future.

I’m not sure if I want each page to be the linen with the thread sample or a muslin page that I appliqué the stitch sample onto.

If I do attach the sample to a foundation page, I will embroider the page number and identifier info onto the foundation fabric to show how the thread handles on a different ground.

Boy, this is a lot of work to do just to stitch a sampler! But I’m loving every minute of it, truly a labor of love energized by passion!

What do you think about item 5? Should the stitched sample be applied to a foundation page or be the actual page itself? Tomorrow I’ll show you where things are at with the cover. And for now I’m going to go stitch on it some more. Feedback, people, feedback!

I’d forgotten it’s on my wish list of threads to buy and try. It is a lovely, shiney 3-ply twisted silk from Access Commodities. Your finer embroidery suppliers will have it or know how to get it. Or you can click on the links in Mary’s article!

And guess what?! There’s activity in the “egg.” It’s about to hatch! And you get to watch. This is what candling has revealed.

I transcribed this pattern from a DMC publication written by Thérèse de Dillmont. I believe it was published in 1908 as it is the Second Book. There was another published in 1890, the year of Thérèse de Dillmont’s death. Her niece, also named Thérèse de Dillmont, continue writing for DMC after 1890.

I found my copy of this pattern book at the Antique Pattern Library. If you have not checked this resource out yet, you are missing out on an incredible treasure, just like Project Gutenberg. On the home page of the Pattern Library, click on the catalog tab. Then click on the technique tab and choose the type of pattern you are looking for. DO NOT let the fact that many of the pattern books are in non-English languages. Find yourself a translation tool at Google and you are home—Free!

Yes these patterns are free for you to use as there are no longer copyright holders to the text. However, you Do Not own the pattern. The person who approved the scan owns the pattern, thus is technically the copyright holder according to the Creative Common Licensing regulations. In this case that would be: s cans donated by Sytske Wijnsma, edited Judith Adele 2006.

Bottom line, if you decide to use this pattern, you MUST give the total reference including title of the work, original author, and the owner of the hard copy. But is that really such a big deal? I think not! (Oh, yeah, ignore the arrows before you use this pattern, my software wouldn’t let me remove them.)

Since I had a Major allergic reaction today, I’m going to end this lesson for today. Tomorrow you’ll get to see what is going to happen to this little Coptic motif.

I am very, very sorry that I have not kept to my schedule. Truth be told, I threw the schedule away! It wasn’t working for me. That is not to say this is not the Year of the Blog. Indeed it still is the Year of the Blog for me. I have been blogging regularly over at The Shop Sampler. I have chosen The Shop Sampler to showcase my efforts in Sharon Boggon’s challenge, Take a Stitch Tuesday 2012. And you can follow the challenge and click on comments to see the work of the worldwide participants. I’ve heard there are 500 or more participanting from around the world! (I even practiced my French in commenting on one blog! And the lady even understood me!)

I first ran into a snag with the schedule when I had problems with a table I was setting up to display photos on a blog. And I was trying to figure out how custom menus work in WordPress. So, I played around and made mistakes and finally seemed to start to figure it out. Then I started to reorganize some info on my blogs with my new found knowledge. It’s still a work in progress. Please, don’t get discouraged with me and my blogs! I’m discouraged enough for a football stadium full of people!

And, then there’s another little “thing” I’ve gotten involved in. It’s called the Stitchers’ UFO Challenge. This is an online support group for up to 100 stitchers like me. Stitchers who have stacks of projects begun, but set aside in favor of the newer, more exciting, and sexier projects that we just have to start now! The idea is to make a committment to complete some of these UnFinished Objects. One should be kind and gentle to oneself and committ to the process and spirit of the project, not beat oneself up and turn those old loves to tortured projects you hate and strip of all their soul as you bash that pile into submission.

With that in mind let me take you on a little tour of what I’ve accomplished since I last wrote here. You should begin the tour by browsing posts in The Shop Sampler, Sight Sniffing, and Relatively Ryan, my three other blogs. Then look through the following photos. Written descriptions and links to the free patterns as appropriate follow the slideshow! Get a cuppa or some pop corn and enjoy! All feedback will be appreciated and replied to!

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First up…Family Stuff. I have two sisters. One just had her fourth grandchild. The other is expecting her first in February. One of them has asked me to bead something special for her (an eye glass leash.) I repurposed a necklace I would never finish and am ready to start the beading project. I pulled out a 12 year old UFO. (That would be the quilt which is now finished!) The hooded bath blanket for Baby Girl Burgess to be is from a free pattern. So is the bunting, also for Baby Girl. The quilt will be going to Lucas X. Robinson (along with a sweater that I have kitted, but not knitted—YET!)

Next on the tour—Projects For Me. Well one (the blackwork chess board) is for Jeff, but the actual stitching part is a pleasure for me, even if it is still a UFO! I have written about the Blackwork Chess Board before. I have fourteen chess pieces to stitch in black then outline the 16 in gold, wash the piece. Once it’s fringed it will be done. Maybe a month to go!

There is a skirt on the table. It is blue linen (and finished). I have also made a lined blue linen vest to go with it, but I can’t turn it. I’m sending to my sister to finish it for me. (Heads up, Toni!) I learned how to rework a pattern to make this wrap around skirt fit me properly and now have two wrap skirts as a result. If you like sewing with linen, you must check out the Fabric Store. It is the best source for linen at incredible prices.

The afghan is also a free pattern. It is called Tree of Life. I knitted it. But you can crochet it. You can also do a Tree of Life for baby with two tree panels and one garden panel. I have absolutely loved knitting this. Maybe because it was a challenge and I met it. I didn’t give up!

And, finally, two projects I did with a group of fellow campers. The redneck wine glasses were a lot of fun. Tips if you try to make this project, beading glue E6000 is a good glue or epoxy. Don’t soak your glass in water for lengthy periods of time. Avoid the dishwasher. If not–you may have to reglue! The painting was done in an art studio in Picayunne, Mississippi. Painting parties are a rather common thing around here. I see all kinds of problems with this painting, but I had never used acrylics before and the paint was drying as quick as I put it on the canvas. Guess you can use more than when you paint with oil. This was a two hour class. Everyone did a great job, really.

So you see, I may not have been writing here every third or fourth day, but I have been quite busy. At this point I’ll strive to write here once a week or every 10 days. More if possible. If you’re missing me here, try my other blogs cuz I’ll be writing somewhere!

I only have seven more squares to go! Then the pieces must be stitched around the border. I had an emergency this weekend when I was showing off my progress to Jeff. I didn’t realize he was bleeding. When he handed it back I found three spots of blood on the piece. Here’s what I did to get it out immediately:

1. HAD JEFF SPIT ON THE SPOTS: Did you know that there is an enzyme in your saliva that when mixed with your own blood stops the blood from setting? It’s true! But the saliva and blood need to belong to the same person.

2. RUBBED THE SPOTS WITH AN ICE CUBE: Cold will help remove protein and keep it from settingeals the protein. Try running hot water on one plate with egg on it and cold on another plate with egg. The heat congeals the protein.

3. RUBBED TIDE TO GO STAIN STICK ON THE SPOTS: While the first two steps made a big difference and I had only a bit of pink on the fabric, I was not ready to submit the whole piece to a handwash. This stain remover took everything out! Maybe I didn’t even need to do the first two steps.

For those who have recognized that Catherine was merely a vehicle for getting “Spanishe Work” to Great Britain, it is widely believed that the style was actually born in Morroco. This, I believe, is true to an extent. One must look at the history of that part of the world to have a better understanding of this embroidery. Do not forget the importantance of the Byzantine Empire and all that was “borrowed” from that powerful and large influence–the beauty of the churches, mosaic works, the opulence of gold work and use of other gems in art. And the weight of one’s faith or connection to religion. One must also remember the importance of trade routes to the Far East, i.e., The Silk Road. Textiles and fibers for making and enhancing textitles were valuable trade resources at both ends of “the Road.” All of these influences informed the ultimate creation of Catherine’s world and her stitching.

When the Islamic world began to stretch out and occupy more lands, one faction gained power on the Iberian Peninsula. This group is said to have come from Morroco and the term associated with that time in Spain was “Moorish.” It has also been suggested that these “Moors” were tolerant of other cultures in the land they occupied. This might be because they did not raze the old churches and community places, but instead embellished them and augmented them to meet the needs of their Islamic faith. In fact, they were as ruthless as any other colonizer in history. (To be continued….)